Hydraulic air-compressor.



Patented Sept. I7, |90I.

.L PATgnsnN. HYDRAULIC AIB COMPRESSOR.

(Application led Nov. 3, 1900.)

(No Model.)

Wl. Ill

Witnesses z @Miorney mi mums PETERS co. Pmvoum'n.. WASHINGTON. :ma4

l UNITED STATES- PATENT OEEI'CE. f

JOHN PATRsoN, `or NELSON, OANADA.

HYDRAULIC AIB-COMPRESSOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 682,811, datedSeptember 17, 1901. Application filed November 3, 1900. Serial No.35,385. (No model.)

To rif/ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN PATERsON, a subject of Her Majesty the Queen ofGreat Britain, residing at Nelson, in the county of Kootenai, Provinceof British Columbia, Canada,

lhave invented certain new and usefulilmprovemeuts in HydraulicAir-Compressors; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains 'to make and' use thesame.

vMy invention relates vto improvements in hydraulic air-compressors; andthe important object of the invention is to provide a simple andefficient apparatus for compressing air at mines and at other places indistricts Where there are streams of water having a high head and'whoseenergy is available for the purpose of compressing air, the latteradapted to be utilized for operating drills,hoists, and other mechanicalappliances.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of aportable nature which necessitates the construction of certain of theparts of comparatively light material, which is a feature ofconsiderable importance in a mountainous country, because of the factthat the apparatus must ofttimes be transported by pack-animals, and,furthermore, to provide means for reinforcing these comparatively lightparts of the apparatus in order to secure the requisite strength andstidness to withstand the service. 1

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thecourse of the subjoined description, and the novelty in the combination,construction, and arrangement of parts will be defined by the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is an elevation, partly broken away and with certain parts insection, of the upper part of my apparatus adapted to be installed atthe head of the Water-supply and intended to primarily receive thewatercurrent the energy of which is to be utilized for compressing air.Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly broken away and in section, of the lowerpart of the machine or the apparatus and other appliances associatedtherewith. Fig. 3 is a transverse secl tion taken in the plane of theannular series of openings in the external tube or pipe 9.

The same characters of reference denote like parts in all the figures ofthe drawings. The water received at the upper part of the machine (shownby Fig. l) is allowed to come long pipe or conduit, (indicated bythereference character W) and during its progress through the upper sectionot' the machine the water becomes impregnated or commingled with the airwhich passes through the conduit with it, said conduit being provided toconvey the air and water from the upper part of the machineto the lowerpart thereof. This water and air conduit may be laid down in the mostconvenient manner to suit the inclination of a mountain or otherelevation. The commingled water and air on arriving at the lower part ofthe machine is there separated, the water being allowed to escape, whilethe air, being under compression, is conveyed away from the apparatus tothe machine which is tobe operated by its energy.

VI will now proceed'to describe in detail the preferred constructionshown by the iigures of the drawings, reference being first had moreparticularly to Fig. l.

5 designates a flume, preferably of metallic construction andrectangular form both in side elevation and in cross-section. Asluicegate 6 is provided in the flume for regulating the iiow of watertherethrough, said gate being connected with an operating-lever 7, towhich is attached a cable 8, the latter leading from the lever to apoint near the lower part of the machine, Where the end of the rope maybe connected to a suitable device (not shown) for operating thesluice-gate as desired.

A cylindrical pipe 9 is attached'in a suitable way to the under side ofthe flume 5, and within the upper part of this pipe is arranged afunnel-shaped or conical tube 10, the latter having its upper larger endin communication with the chamber of the flume by the provision of asuitable opening 11 in the bottom of the latter, whereby the water fromthe ilume is adapted to pass directly into the inverted conical tube.10. Another funnelshaped tube 12 is inserted or arranged within thecylindrical reinforcement pipe 9, said 'in contact with the free air asit traverses a IOG communicate directly with the annular air- A passage14, so as to provide for the inflow of a current of air through theports and the passage by the energy developed by the downwardly-movingcolumn of liquid flowing through the tubes 10 12. The air-ports 15 havea collective area about equal to one-half of the area of the lower endof the upper conical tube 10.

A double funnel-shaped tu be 16 is arranged for its portion of greatestdiameter to t snugly within the lower open extremity of the externalcylindrical pipe 9. The bellied portion of the double funnelshaped tubeis united at 17 to the foot of said pipe 9, while its upper extremity isunited at 18 to the lower portion of the conical tube 12, whereby thetube 16 is disposed in axial alinement with the conical tubes 10 12 forthe current of mingled air and water to flow directly into said tube 16.It is to be understood that the tube 16 has a tight connection with thetube 12 and that each of the tubes 10, 12, and 16 -is attached to thecylindrical pipe 9. This construction enables each of the tubes to bemade of comparatively light material, a feature of considerableimportance when it is necessary to transport the apparatus in amountainous country; but the requisite strength and stiffness of theparts when they are assembled for use are secured by the provision ofthe pipe 9, the latter having individual union with each of the seriesof funnel-shaped tubes.

- The water entering the flume passes through the opening 11 down thetube 10. As it emerges from the base of this tube it comes in contactwith the free air, which is admitted through the ports 15, and thedownward motion of the column of wat-er induces or draws the air alongwith it, the commingled current of air and water forcing its way throughthe double funnel-shaped tube 16 and through the pipe or conduit W tothe separating-chamber below.

I will now proceed to describe that part of the apparatus shown by Fig.2, in which the letter W indicates a continuation of the water-conduit,thelatteradapted to enter the separatingchamber 20, to which it isunited by a tight joint 21, that prevents the escape of any air from thevessel. This chamber is preferably a large cylindrical metallic vesselstanding with its axis vertical, into which chamber the column ofcommingled air and water is conducted to a point a short distance abovethe center of the vessel by the conduit XV. The water is deposited intoa large basin 22, which is secured in the chamber by any approved meansand is arranged just below the foot of the water-conduit. The wateroverflows this basin, so as'to be deposited in the lower portion of theseparating-chamber, from whence it flows through a short length of pipe23 into the chamber of the valve-shell 24, said valvechamber containinga double balanced valve 25, the latter being loaded by a spring 26,which is placed inside the chamber, the pressure of the spring on thevalve being regulated by an adjustable screw 27. A draincock 28 isconnected to the pipe 23 below the separating-chamber, said cock adaptedto be opened whenever it is desired to draw off the water for anyparticular purpose. The air is separated from the water by the basin 22,thus freeing the air and allowing it to rise into the upper portion ofthe separatingchamber, from whence it passes into the chamber of thevalve-casing 29, the vlatter containing a double valve 30, which isloaded by a spring 31, the latter being controlled by a screw 32, fromwhich description it will be seen that the air-valve is similar inprinciple to the watervalve. The air is conducted from theseparatingchamber and the airvalve chamber, when it attains a pressuresufficient to overcome the resistance ot' the spring 31, by anoffbearing pipe 33. A blowoff valve 34: is connected to theseparatingchamber, at the top portion thereof, to permit the machine tocontinue in operation in case the connections above the air-valve areshut olf. A pressure-gage 35 and a water-gage 36 are connected to theshell of the separatingchamber in order that the machine may beregulated. Two manholes 37 are provided in the separator-chamber, nearthe upper and lower portions thereof.

Changes within the scope of the appended claims may be made in the formand proportion of some of the parts, while their essential features areretained and the spirit of the invention is embodied. Hence I do notdesire to be limited to the precise form of all the parts as shown,reserving the right to vary therefrom.

The double funnel-shaped tube 16 is advantageous in my apparatus,because it tends to check or retard the downward flow of the commingledcolumn of air and water and pei mits the desired separation of the airfrom the water to take place at the basin, whereby the necessaryrapidity of movement of the water column in the upper part of theapparatus to induce the inward iiow of air is attained. It is thereforeto be understood that the upper and lower parts of the apparatus arecombined together to secure a unitary result in the operation of thehydraulic ai r-compressoiu Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new is 1. A hydraulic air-compressor comprising IOO IIO

a cylindrical tube having an annular series of air-inlet openings, atapered tube 10 eX- tending into the cylindrical tube, another taperedtube 12 secured at its upper end to the cylindrical tube below theopenings therein and arranged in parallel relation to the tube 10 andpartially surrounding the latter to form therewith an annular air-spacewhich is in communication with said openings, and a double-tapered tubedisposed in axial alinement with the aforesaid tube and arranged toreceive the contents of the tube 12, substantially as described.

2., A hydraulic air-compressor comprising an external tube 9 providedwith an annular series of air-inlet openings, a tapered waterfeed tubel0 secured in said tube 9, another tapered tube 12 secured at its upperend to the tube 9 below the openings therein and arranged to extendbelow said tube 10, the said tube 12 surrounding the tube 10 and formingtherewith an annular air-space which is in communication with the openings, and a double-tapered tube 16 secured at its bellied portion to thetube 9 and at its upper end to the tube 12, saidtube 16 arranged inaxial alinement with the tubes 9, 10, 12 and adapted to receive, abovethe line of its greatest diameter, the contents 0f the tube 12,substantially as described.

3. A hydraulic air-compressor comprising a closed tank forming aseparating-chamber, a cross-sectionally-curved basin having an open topand secured in said tank, a water and air combining pipe leading throughthe ltank and terminating centrally Within the basin at a point belowthe open top thereof and leaving ample space for the water to flowfreely into the basin, a water-drain pipe con.- nected to the bottom ofthe tank and having a double valve, and an air-outlet pipe connected tothe upper portion of the tank and also having a balanced double valve,substantially as described. i l

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN PATERSON. W`itnesses: l

HARRY V. INSKIP, W. I-I. LEE.

